| Ni Bora Afaye Macho | Better is the Blind Person |
| (1) Mfa macho ni mbora, ukiwa ‘thabiti moyo’ | A blind person is the best, if his heart is resolute |
| Ni tajiri wa busara, hekima pia anayo | He is rich in prudence, wisdom he has as well |
| Siyo mtu mdubira, bahati asiyonayo | He is not a failure, someone who never has (lit. sees, experiences) any luck |
| Ni bora afaye macho, kuliko afaye moyo. | Better is the blind person, than one who is hardhearted. |
| (2) Afaye moyo hatendi, huvuruga watendao | The unfeeling person does nothing, he only harasses those who act |
| Penye faraja haendi, dharula ni yake ngao | Where it’s comfortable he never goes, scorn is his shield |
| Ajizi kwake ushindi, kuzuia washindao | Negligence for him is a victory, stopping the winners |
| Ni bora afaye macho, kuliko afaye moyo. | Better is the blind person, than one who is hardhearted. |
Glossary
| ajizi | [n.9/10] | Negligence (MASB). Slackness, remissness, lateness; see –ajazi be slack, feeble, etc. (FJ). Ar. Ajizi kwake ushindi, kuzuia washindao; Negligence for him is a victory, stopping the winners (MASB-MM2). |
| dharula | [n. 9/10] | Scorn (MASB). See dharau n.9 scorn, contempt, insult (FJ). Ar. Penye faraja haendi, dharula ni yake ngao; Where it’s comfortable he never goes, scorn is his shield (MASB-MM2). |
| fa macho | [v. i.] | Be blind, sightless; lit. die as to the eyes (TJH). Ni bora afaye macho, kuliko afaye moyo; Better is the blind person, than one who is hardhearted (MASB-MM1). |
| fa moyo | [v. i.]] | Be heartless, unsympathetic, hardhearted, lit. die as to the heart (TJH). Ni bora afaye macho, kuliko afaye moyo; Better is the blind person, than one who is hardhearted (MASB-MM1). |
| faraja | [n. 9/10] | Comfort (MASB). Comfort, relief, cessation of pain, ease, consolation (FJ). Ar. Penye faraja haendi, dharula ni yake ngao; Where it’s comfortable he never goes, scorn is his shield (MASB-MM2). |
| mbora | [n. 1/2] | Fine person, best person (TJH). See bora adj. of special quality (importance, or value), fine, high class, first-rate, etc. (FJ). Ar. Mfa macho ni mbora, ukiwa ‘thabiti moyo’; A blind person is the best, if his heart is resolute (MASB-MM1) |
| mdubira/wa- | [n. 1/2] | Failure, underachiever, loser, etc. (TJH). Person who always appears to have bad luck, everything he attempts fails (FJ). Mtu asiyefanikiwa na mambo anayoyafanya (MASB). Siyo mtu mdubira, bahati asiyonayo; He is not a failure, someone who never has (lit. sees, experiences) any luck (MASB-MM1). |
| mfa macho | [n. 1/2] | Sightless person, lit. deceased as to the eyes, thus blind person (TJH) Mfa macho ni mbora, ukiwa thabiti moyo; A blind person is the best, if his heart is resolute (MASB-MM1) |
| mfa/wa- | [n. 1/2] | Dead person, deceased person (TJH). Mfa macho ni mbora, ukiwa thabiti moyo; A blind person is the best, if his heart is resolute (MASB-MM1) |
| thabiti | [adj.] | Firm, proved, constant, strong; (2) resolute, brave, steadfast (FJ). Ar. Mfa macho ni mbora, ukiwa thabiti moyo; A blind person is the best, if his heart is resolute (MASB-MM1) |
| vuruga | [v. tr.] | Disrupt (MASB). Disturb, upset, create confusion; harass (TJH). Stir up, stir, stir round (about), mix by stirring, (2) fig. stir up the feeling of, excite, exasperate (FJ). Afaye moyo hatendi, huvuruga watendao; The unfeeling person does nothing, he only harasses those who act (MASB-MM2). |